What is sexual health?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sexual health is defined as, “…a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.” (WHO, 2006)
Elements of sexual health according to the WHO, include
When viewed holistically and positively:
- Sexual health is about well-being, not merely the absence of disease.
- Sexual health involves respect, safety and freedom from discrimination and violence.
- Sexual health depends on the fulfilment of certain human rights.
- Sexual health is relevant throughout the individual’s lifespan, not only to those in the reproductive years, but also to both the young and the elderly.
- Sexual health is expressed through diverse sexualities and forms of sexual expression.
- Sexual health is critically influenced by gender norms, roles, expectations and power dynamics.
Sexual health needs to be understood within specific social, economic and political contexts.
Above: Photo by Farsai Chaikulngamdee on Unsplash
This page features resources on sexual health and education. At the top of the page you will find resources on sexual consent. Below that, you will find resources on womens' health, mens' health, transgender health, and asexuality.
Campus Resources
- UConn Student Health and Wellness (SHAW)UConn SHAW has services specific to sexual health and wellness, including HPV vaccine clinics, STI testing, emergency contraception, and a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).
- UConn SexpertsStudent Health and Wellness is home to The UConn Sexperts, a volunteer, peer education program composed of 5-15 highly dedicated students who are passionate about promoting sexual health on the UConn campus. The Sexperts mission is "to promote positive and responsible health to UConn students; respecting people’s individual choices and creating awareness of sexual health issues, including safer-sex strategies, sexually transmitted infections, contraception/birth control, sexual boundaries and consent, pleasure, and healthy decision making."
- UConn gloveboxgloveBOX is Student Health and Wellness' safer-sex supply delivery service. Students can order safer-sex supplies, including condoms, lubrication, and dental dams, to have delivered directly to their mailroom. Students can choose from 4 different boxes, up to 3 times a semester.
- UConn Women's CenterThe Women’s Center provides assistance to victims/survivors of sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking, sexual harassment, and all forms of gender-based violence. Our focus is to provide a safe setting, as well as information and support that will help empower victims/survivors to make informed choices about next steps and what feels most healing for them. The Women’s Center also provides the opportunity for students to be involved in gender-based violence prevention and intervention education through the groups such as The Men's Project, In-Power, and Greeks Against Sexual Assault (GASA).
- UConn Rainbow CenterThe Rainbow Center’s mission is to operate in the service of a more equitable world for all students, faculty, and staff at the University of Connecticut. Using an intersectional lens, we center our work on advocating for, and increasing education, access, retention, identity development, and community-building for queer- and trans-spectrum communities. The Rainbow Center offers free and private rapid HIV and HepC testing, safer sex supplies. They also have many groups and events on LGBTQIA+ topics.
Photo by AllGo - An App For Plus Size People on Unsplash
Regional Resources
- Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health CollectiveServices in Manchester and Hartford CT
- Circle Care CenterLGBT+ health center in Norfolk CT
- Fenway Health BostonFenway Health advocates for and delivers innovative, equitable, accessible health care, supportive services, and transformative research and education. We center LGBTQIA+ people, BIPOC individuals, and other underserved communities to enable our local, national, and global neighbors to flourish.
Sexual Health and Education Website Resources
- Sclarleteen: Sex Ed for the Real Worldinclusive, comprehensive, supportive sexuality and relationships information for teens and emerging adults
EBooks from the Catalog
Getting It: A Guide to Hot, Healthy Hookups and Shame-Free Sex by ISBN: 9781984857163Publication Date: 2020Getting It covers all the bases of hook-up culture from first moves and sex etiquette to navigating nonmonogamy and sexual health. In an era of endless crossed signals and heightened awareness of consent and respect, award-winning author and sex educator Allison Moon shows you how to achieve safe and enjoyable encounters by practicing clear communication and consideration of all parties involved--yourself included.
Do As I Say, Not Who I Did: Honest Advice on Hookups and Relationships in College by ISBN: 9781615197972Publication Date: 2022-04-12Consent is essential--that's Sex 101. And if you ask Ali Drucker, young women also deserve more--like time to explore what turns them on, space to voice their needs, self-compassion after a hookup goes sideways, and yes (obviously): pleasure! It's hard to overstate how much we put pressure on early sexual encounters--and how little real advice is out there. How do I deal when I keep running into my one-night stand? How can I tell if I'm too drunk to have sex? How do I say stop when I'm not really into it? Why do I keep getting all these UTIs? And most of all: Why is so much of sex ed focused on what could go wrong instead of what actually feels good? In this unflinchingly honest guide to hookups and relationships in the twenty-first century, Ali Drucker answers these questions and more--with "been there, done that" confessional advice, plus input from experts on sexuality and from students in college today. If you missed out on shame-free, affirmative sex education . . . if you're nervous about having sex . . . if you're just discovering what you want (and how to ask for it)--this book is for you.
The manhood Rx : every man's guide to improving sexual health and overall wellness by ISBN: 9781538166604Publication Date: 2023 Rowan & LittlefieldPoor sexual functioning can serve as a predictor to other emerging health issues, yet too often, men are reluctant to discuss their issues. Here, Dr. Arthur Burnett provides a comprehensive overview of male sexual health and shows how it relates to overall health, providing clinically proven treatments for addressing sexual performance concerns
Come As You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life by ISBN: 9781476762098Publication Date: 2015-03-03Title recommended by SHaW. The first lesson in this essential, transformative book by Dr. Emily Nagoski is that every woman has her own unique sexuality, like a fingerprint, and that women vary more than men in our anatomy, our sexual response mechanisms, and the way our bodies respond to the sexual world. So we never need to judge ourselves based on others' experiences. Because women vary, and that's normal. Second lesson: sex happens in a context. And all the complications of everyday life influence the context surrounding a woman's arousal, desire, and orgasm. Cutting-edge research across multiple disciplines tells us that the most important factor for women in creating and sustaining a fulfilling sex life, is not what you do in bed or how you do it, but how you feel about it. Which means that stress, mood, trust, and body image are not peripheral factors in a woman's sexual wellbeing; they are central to it.
Every Body: An Honest and Open Look at Sex from Every Angle by ISBN: 9780316426572Publication Date: 2021-01-05Experience a radically inclusive and informative collection of stories, essays, interviews, and art about sex, relationships, and body confidence. Have you ever had a question about sex--whether out of curiosity, desire, or the sneaking suspicion you're, somehow, different? Every Body will help you feel less alone. It's a huge collection of anonymous stories, essays, artwork, and expert tell-alls on myriad subjects, all rolled into one. Really, it's the conversations most of us are too scared to start. Thanks to talented duo Julia Rothman and Shaina Feinberg, we don't have to. The stories, essays, and interviews they've compiled touch on a wide array of topics, including first times, open relationships, body acceptance, accidental pregnancies, sex toys, pleasure, fear and trauma, sexual discovery, and more. Framed by dozens of artists' illustrations, deeply personal interviews, and expert essays that address stigmas and clichés, this book is an informative, welcoming, and inclusive user's guide to your body, no matter its shape, size, or preferences. A dynamic group of voices and styles makes Every Body an essential resource and helpful companion as you explore your own body (and more!).
Healing Sex: : a mind-body approach to healing sexual trauma by ISBN: 9781573446099Publication Date: 2007-11-28Title recommended by SHaW. The first encouraging, sex-positive guide for all women survivors of sexual assault -- heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, coupled, and single -- who want to reclaim their sex lives. While most books on the topic broach sexuality only to reassure women that it is all right to say "no" to unwanted sex, Healing Sex encourages women to learn how to say "yes" -- to their own desires and on their own terms. This mind-body approach to healing from sexual trauma was created by Staci Haines, who has been educating in the area of sexual abuse, sex education, and somatic healing for over 15 years. Her techniques are ideal for anyone looking for a new way to heal from trauma, beyond traditional talk therapy.
Healing Sexual Trauma Workbook by ISBN: 9781684036523Publication Date: 2021-07-01Title recommended by SHaW. Overcome shame and stigma; and bring a newly felt sense of safety, awareness, and life to your body. If you've experienced rape, sexual abuse, molestation, or sexual trauma, you may feel as if you've lost your sense of self. You may have difficulty setting boundaries or building satisfying sexual relationships. Sometimes, you may even feel like your body isn't your own. You aren't alone. The scars of sexual trauma exist not only in the mind, but also in the body. And in order to heal, build resilience, and discover a sense of hope, you must address both. Drawing on the powerful mind-body techniques of somatic therapy, The Healing Sexual Trauma Workbook is a step-by-step guide to overcoming the psychological effects of sexual trauma, and increasing positive body awareness and vitality. You'll find tools to help you create an internal sense of safety and become more embodied and present. You'll also discover ways to establish boundaries; move beyond intense feelings like shame, fear, and guilt; and deal effectively with triggers. Finally, you'll learn how to cultivate self-compassion and the confidence needed to live your best life. What happened to you isn't your fault, and it doesn't define you. With the right tools, you can live a full and satisfying life beyond sexual trauma. This workbook will help guide you, every step of the way.
Optimal Men's Health by ISBN: 9780190654894Publication Date: Oxford UP 2020Optimal Men's Health is a comprehensive yet easy-to-understand guide to everything men need to know about health. Taking an integrative approach, Dr. Myles Spar shows you how to feel young and powerful at any age while minimizing the risk of disease, showing that prevention is just as important as treatment.
Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability: For All of Us Who Live with Disabilities, Chronic Pain, and Illness. by ISBN: 9781573443043Publication Date: 2007-11-28Title recommended by SHaW. The re-issue of the first ever sex guide for people who live with disablities, pain, illness or chronic conditions. Expertly written by a medical doctor, a sex educator and a disablity activist, The Ultimate Guide to Sex and Disability provides readers with encouragement, support and all the information they could ever need to create an enjoyable and successful sex life.
Tomorrow Sex Will Be Good Again: Women and Desire In the Age of Consent by ISBN: 9781788739160Publication Date: 2021-03-02A provocative, elegantly written analysis of female desire, consent, and sexuality in the age of MeToo In this elegant, searching book--spanning science and popular culture; pornography and literature; debates on Me-Too, consent and feminism--Katherine Angel challenges our assumptions about women's desire. Why, she asks, should they be expected to know their desires? And how do we take sexual violence seriously, when not knowing what we want is key to both eroticism and personhood? In today's crucial moment of renewed attention to violence and power, Angel urges that we remake our thinking about sex, pleasure, and autonomy without any illusions about perfect self-knowledge.
Big Big Love, Revised: a sex and relationships guide for people of size (and those who love them) by ISBN: 9781587610851Publication Date: 2011-09-20Title recommended by SHaW. A comprehensive guide on the how-tos and why-tos of love, romance, and great big sexuality for everyone-regardless of gender or orientation-from the chubby to the supersized. Love, Romance, and Great Big Sexuality for Everyone Big Big Love is the only one-stop-shopping handbook on relationships, sexuality, and big sexy confidence for people of all genders, sizes, and sexual orientations who know that a fantastic love life doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the number on the bathroom scale.
The Ethical Slut: third edition : a practical guide to polyamory, open relationships, and other freedoms in sex and loveISBN: 9780399579677Title recommended by SHaW. The classic guide to love, sex, and intimacy beyond the limits of conventional monogamy has been fully updated to reflect today's modern attitudes and the latest information on nontraditional relationships. For 20 years The Ethical Slut has dispelled myths and showed curious readers how to maintain a successful polyamorous lifestyle through open communication, emotional honesty, and safer sex practices.
The Greatest College Health Guide You Never Knew You Needed by ISBN: 9781510759091Publication Date: 2021-06-01Every fall, millions of young adults crash into college fired up for the best four years of their lives, ready to experience campus life, take classes about things they're interested in, and meet people from all over the world. Most students, however, are better prepared to pick their major or talk to strangers than they are to take care of themselves in the college setting. College students today are more depressed, anxious, and stressed than previous waves of students; they're also more sedentary, not really exercising, and living in a meal-plan limbo supplemented with ramen and coffee. In this comprehensive field guild, high school coaches Jill and Dave Henry break down the facts and deliver doable, no-BS strategies for managing physical and mental health on campus.
Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex by ISBN: 9780807014110What exactly is sexual attraction, and what is it like to go through life not experiencing it? What does asexuality reveal about gender roles, about romance and consent, and the pressures of society? This accessible examination of asexuality shows that the issues that aces face - confusion around sexual activity, the intersection of sexuality and identity, navigating different needs in relationships - are the same conflicts that nearly all of us will experience. Through a blend of reporting, cultural criticism, and memoir, Ace addresses the misconceptions around the "A" of LGBTQIA and invites everyone to rethink pleasure and intimacy.
How to Understand Your Sexuality A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are by ISBN: 9781787756182Publication Date: 2021Gay, straight, queer, pansexual, demisexual, ace...? Sexuality is complex and diverse, but it doesn't have to be confusing. This down-to-earth guide is the ultimate companion for understanding, accepting and celebrating your sexuality. Written by two internationally renowned authors and therapists, the book explains how sexuality works in terms of our identities, attractions, desires and practices, and explores how it intersects with our personal experiences and the world around us.
What is consent?
"Consent is an agreement between participants to engage in sexual activity. Consent should be clearly and freely communicated. A verbal and affirmative expression of consent can help both you and your partner to understand and respect each other’s boundaries.
Consent cannot be given by individuals who are underage, intoxicated or incapacitated by drugs or alcohol, or asleep or unconscious. If someone agrees to an activity under pressure of intimidation or threat, that isn’t considered consent because it was not given freely. Unequal power dynamics, such as engaging in sexual activity with an employee or student, also mean that consent cannot be freely given."
This definition is from RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) , the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization.
You can also remember more about consent through the FRIES acronym:
Consent is: Freely Given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific
Fired up about Consent by ISBN: 9781771133531Publication Date: 2021-03-01According to the World Health Organization, one in three women will be sexually or physically assaulted in her lifetime. These rates are very similar for non-binary people and other feminized people, too. This is rape culture, and young adults are living through it here and now. Fired Up about Consentis a practical, survivor-informed primer for young people who want to learn how to build joyful, mutually satisfying sex lives and relationships. In these pages, author Sarah Ratchford defines rape and sexual assault, busts the myths behind toothless messaging and outdated advice, and provides sex-positive scripts on how to ask for and offer a clear, enthusiastic, and freely given "Yes!" Along the way, Ratchford touches on topics such as #MeToo, gender identity, masturbation, virginity, porn, sex work, reporting assault, and more, all through a radically inclusive and intersectional lens. The message is loud and clear: not only is consent sexy, it's mandatory--and everyone deserves frank and empowering literacy around it. Only with empathy, compassion, and resistance can we move forward into a new culture of consent.
Creating Cultures of Consent A Guide for Parents and Educators by ISBN: 9781475850970Publication Date: 2021 Blue Ridge Summit : Rowman & LittlefieldWith conversations about sexual violence, consent, and bodily autonomy dominating national conversations it can be easy to get lost in the onslaught of well-intended but often poorly executed messages. Through an exploration of research, scholarly expertise, and practical real-world application we can better formulate an understanding of what consent is, how we create consent cultures, and where the path forward lies.
This book is designed with both educators and parents in mind. The tools highlighted throughout help adults unlearn harmful narratives about consent, boundaries, and relationships so that they can begin their work internally through modeling and self-reflection. We then uncover what consent truly is and is not, how culture plays an integral role in interpersonal scripting, and how teaching consent as a life skill can look in and out of the classroom. By integrating the need for consent to be taught in schools and homes we build bridges between the spaces where children learn and create alliances in the often-daunting task of eradicating rape-culture.
Sexual Consent by ISBN: 9780262537322Publication Date: 2019-05-07An introduction to issues of sexual consent, covering key strands of feminist thought, how sexual consent is negotiated in practice, the influence of popular culture, and more.The #MeToo movement has focused public attention on the issue of sexual consent. People of all genders, from all walks of life, have stepped forward to tell their stories of sexual harassment and violation. In a predictable backlash, others have taken to mass media to inquire plaintively if "flirting" is now forbidden. This volume in the MIT Press Essential Knowledge series offers a nuanced introduction to sexual consent by a writer who is both a scholar and an activist on this issue.
The Big Questions Book of Sex and Consent by ISBN: 9781646140190Publication Date: 2020-09-15What this book IS: A journey into the Big Questions that will turn you into a thinking person about sex and consent, with the ability to wrestle towards the answers that work for YOU and continue to wrestle towards them for the rest of your life. What is the meaning and purpose of sex? How does it intersect with who I am? Why are people so afraid of it? What does a healthy and joyful approach to sex look like for me? Why is consent so much more than a yes or no question? Who this book is FOR: Everybody!! No matter your sexuality, gender, religion, or race. What could be more essential?
Tea and Consent
This is a video from the #consentiseverything project, and explains the concept of sexual consent with a clear and easy to understand analogy.
Sexual consent is where a person has the ability and freedom to agree to sexual activity.
Physical Library Book Resources
It Doesn't Have to Be Awkward: Dealing with Relationships, Consent, and Other Hard-to-Talk-About Stuff by Call Number: Leisure Reading Collection: B LevelISBN: 0358396034Publication Date: 2021-09-21From celebrity M.D. Dr. Drew Pinsky and his daughter Paulina Pinsky comes an entertaining and comprehensive guide to sex, relationships, and consent in today's #Metoo era. Perfect for teens, parents, and educators to facilitate open and positive conversations around the tricky topic of consent. When it comes to sex, relationships, and consent, establishing boundaries and figuring out who you are and what you want is never simple--especially as a teenager. What's the line between a friendship and a romantic partner? How can you learn to trust your body's signals? And what if you're not quite sure what your sexuality is? In this book, renowned celebrity M.D. Dr. Drew and his daughter Paulina Pinsky take on those awkward, and incredibly important questions teens today are asking themselves and parents wish they had a better grasp on. Filled with tangible and accessible resources, and featuring humorous and raw personal anecdotes, this is the perfect guide for teens, parents, and educators to go beyond "the talk" and dive into honest and meaningful conversations about sex, relationships, and consent.
Boys and Sex: young men on hookups, love, porn, consent, and navigating the new masculinity by Call Number: Leisure Reading Collection: B LevelISBN: 9780062666970Publication Date: 2020-01-07Peggy Orenstein's Girls & Sex broke ground, shattered taboos, and launched conversations about young women's right to pleasure and agency in sexual encounters. It also had an unexpected effect on its author: Orenstein realized that talking about girls is only half the conversation. Boys are subject to the same cultural forces as girls--steeped in the same distorted media images and binary stereotypes of female sexiness and toxic masculinity--which equally affect how they navigate sexual and emotional relationships. In Boys & Sex, Peggy Orenstein dives back into the lives of young people to once again give voice to the unspoken, revealing how young men understand and negotiate the new rules of physical and emotional intimacy.
Let's Talk about It: The Teen's Guide to Sex, Relationships, and Being a Human (A Graphic Novel) by ISBN: 9781984893147Publication Date: 2021-03-09Is what I'm feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I know how to behave? How do I fix it when I make a mistake? Let's talk about it. An inclusive, accessible and honest graphic novel guide to growing up, from gender and sexuality to consent and safe sex. Perfect reading for Pride Month and for any teen starting to ask...Is what I'm feeling normal? Is what my body is doing normal? Am I normal? How do I know what are the right choices to make? How do I fix it when I make a mistake? Let's talk about it. Growing up is complicated. How do you find the answers to all the questions you have about yourself, about your identity, and about your body? Let's Talk About It provides a comprehensive, thoughtful, well-researched graphic novel guide to everything you need to know but might not know how to talk about. Covering relationships, friendships, gender, sexuality, anatomy, body image, safe sex, sexting, jealousy, rejection, sex education, and more, this is the go-to handbook for every teen navigating adolescence, and the first in graphic novel form.
Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by ISBN: 9781849353267Publication Date: 2019-03-19How do we make social justice the most pleasurable human experience? How can we awaken within ourselves desires that make it impossible to settle for anything less than a fulfilling life? Editor Adrienne Maree Brown finds the answer in something she calls 'Pleasure Activism,' a politics of healing and happiness that explodes the dour myth that changing the world is just another form of work. Drawing on the black feminist tradition the contributors to this volume take up the challenge to rethink the ground rules of activism.
Girls and Sex: navigating the complicated new landscape by ISBN: 9780062209726Publication Date: 2016-03-29The author of the New York Times bestseller Cinderella Ate My Daughter offers a clear-eyed picture of the new sexual landscape girls face in the post-princess stage--high school through college--and reveals how they are negotiating it.
S. E. X.: : The All-You-Need-to-Know Sexuality Guide to Get You Through Your Teens and Twenties by Call Number: on orderISBN: 9780738218847Publication Date: 2016-07-12 Second EditionTitle recommended by SHaW. The go-to sex ed guide for teens and young adults, tackling everything you want to know about sex, from consent, safe sex, emotional health and more, from the founder of scarleteen.com.
Stolen Women: reclaiming our sexuality, taking back our lives by ISBN: 9780471124504Publication Date: 1997-07-30Title recommended by SHaW. Black women describe in this book how they learned about sex, what experiences they chose, and what experiences they were forced to have. They reveal decisions they made, and the feelings they had - from satisfaction to abuse. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the author conducted a survey of black female sexuality. The findings are presented here. They reveal the role of historical stereotypes in contemporary relationships and images. The book also offers compassionate strategies for confronting and overcoming these myths and finding greater sexual health and well-being.
